Young Democrats Club engages with local candidates

Club members met with Maria Collett (PA State Senate), Liz Hanbidge (PA House of Reps), and Sara Johnson Rothman (PA House of Reps).

North Penn Democrats Club met three Candidates from the upcoming election.

TOWAMENCIN – The North Penn Young Democrats Club hosted a Q&A session with three local candidates this Thursday. Maria Collett (PA-12), Liz Hanbidge (PA-61), and Sara Johnson Rothman (PA-151) sat down to field questions and discuss politics with approximately 20 North Penn High School students.

The discussion began with Johnson Rothman asking what the club members’ values were.

“Many of you have identified as Democrats long before you are able to vote,” she stated. “What made you feel this way?”

Many students expressed their values as “honesty and empathy in politics,” “protecting minorities,” and overall, “respect.”

The idea of respect was brought up several times throughout the discussion, particularly when Collett spoke about the lack of respect from GOP leaders in Harrisburg.

Collett commented, “There are some leaders, who, if given a bill proposed by a Democrat, will flat out refuse to push it forward. If we can get people elected to our state legislature who will show respect to those in the other political party, then we can show what our values are.”

Hanbidge added that many older politicians who have been in office for years and/or decades are no longer respecting younger voters by conversing with them. “A lot of politicians out there don’t talk to anyone under 40 anymore, because they think they don’t care,” she said.

Looking at the percent of voter turnout in the 2014 midterms, one could argue that this is true.

In 2014, Johnson Rothman’s district saw an overall turnout of 48 percent, which may seem astronomically low, but is actually above average for midterms in Pennsylvania. Within more specific demographics, such as voters 40 years old and younger, it drops to 20 percent. This is drastically different than the turnout of voters 65 and older, which is 65 percent.

Johnson Rothman partially ascribed these statistics to society’s negativity and to the feeling that one vote won’t affect an election.

“People say ‘my vote doesn’t matter.’ So many people feel like that and they sit home. A significant amount of people acting that way can certainly change the outcome of an election,” she stated. 

People say ‘my vote doesn’t matter.’ So many people feel like that and they sit home. A significant amount of people acting that way can certainly change the outcome of an election,

— Sara Johnson Rothman

To see this idea in action, one can look back to the 2017 elections. In those “off-year” elections, the voter turnout is often even lower than it is for the midterms.

“In [the] 2017 elections, some local elections were as close as nine votes,” commented Johnson Rothman.

All three candidates conveyed an inspiring message to the club.

“If Democrats turn out in higher numbers than Republicans, we will win. It is as simple as that. But we need voter turnout to be higher than 48 percent,” said Johnson Rothman.

To gain a unique perspective about the current political climate, co-president of the Young Democrats Club Rachel Rubins asked the candidates, “What have your biggest challenges been as first time candidates?”

“People say such nasty things about you on social media, and most of it just isn’t true. They spin something so much and put it in a completely different context,” remarked Johnson Rothman.

Hanbidge voiced, “It is so frustrating that it’s so easy for anyone to make up lies about you and push it out to the public.”

Collett emphasized that “it says something about us as a society when I have to keep my 6 year old from hearing what is on the vicious ads in between his Minecraft videos on Youtube.”

Another immense obstacle the women have faced is gaining name recogniti

Connor Niszczak
The Candidates and students engaged in conversation about politics and the election.

on. Hanbidge and Johnson Rothman are facing off against incumbents who have been in office for at least eight years, and Collett is facing another first time candidate with the same name as his father; the father has held office for 40 years.

“If people don’t recognize and remember your name, you will lose,” stated Johnson Rothman.

The last difficulty that the first time candidates spoke about is the cost of running. “Running for office these days is something that really can only be done by upper middle class or high class citizens, because it is so expensive,” Hanbidge said.

“I don’t see how anyone who is struggling financially could afford to run for office,” noted Johnson Rothman.

To conclude the Q & A session, the candidates told the club why it is important for young people to stay involved in politics.

“We are in a deep, dark place in history, and we shouldn’t have to count on you to save us, but we do,” remarked Hanbidge.

“Younger people are understanding that the adults in charge aren’t doing what they’re supposed to be doing to protect them. So make them,” Johnson Rothman added.

After the speaking session, Young Democrats Club co-president Divya Sood spoke about why she thinks having intimate conversations with local representatives is so important.

“Having candid conversations with candidates in environments like this enables us to realize that politicians aren’t just figureheads; they’re people like us, too. Understanding the personal aspect of politics makes it easier for us to constructively converse with others about controversial issues,” Sood finished.

Club member Catherine Cavanaugh, a sophomore, shared these ideas.

“It is easy to be cynical about government,” she stated. “There is always something that goes wrong or someone who is supposed to lead the people, but instead drops the ball, so hearing from local representatives, regardless the ideology or party, restores young faith in the great spirit of the American Republic.”